Portable bathing apparatus.



R. L. RICHARDS.

PORTABLE BATHlNG APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED.. Nov. 30. 1917.

Patented July 16, 1918 /NvENToR R.L.RIGHARDS BY i j ITTORNE;E

WITNESS ROBERT L. RICHARDS, OF MERIDIAN, TEXAS. I

PORTABLE BATHING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 1e, reis.

Application led November 30, 1917. Serial No. 204,552.

T o all lwhom t may concern Be it known that I, ROBERT L. Ricuanns, acitizen of the United States, residing at Meridian, in the county ofBosque and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful.Improvements in Portable Bathing Apparatus, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention pertains to improvements in bathing apparatuses.

The aim of this invention is to provide. a portable apparatus which maybe conveniently transported and which includes a waterreceptacle havingmeans for heating the water therein to the desired temperature; togetherwith a washing appliance receiving water from the receptacle through afiexible tube and having provision for holding and supplying water to awashcloth whereby one may wash his body.

This invention will be more readily understood from a reading of thefollowing speciicationvand by reference to the aci companying drawings,in which an example of the invention is illustrated and wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an apparatus constructed in accordancewith this invention,

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the washer,

Fig. 3'is an inverted view of the salue,

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the washer, showingback-handle inserted therein,

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view of the washer,

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view of thc heating receptacle, and

Fig. 7 is an underside view of said'rcceptacle.

In the drawings the vnumeral 1 designates a receptacle having aflattened side 2 and an upstanding ear 3 at its top which is open. Theflat side will rest against a wall and the ear may be engaged over anail or the like to hold the receptacle at the desired elevation. Withinthe receptacle and above the lower edge a conical bottom 4 is disposedand mergedv into a' central heating flue 5 extending to the top of thereceptacle. Within the receptacle below the bottom a spring clip 6 issecured to the part 2 so as to receive and support a lamp 7 directlyunder the flue 5. cealed 'and protected by the depending wall of thereceptacle and is readily removable.

Water placed in the receptacle surrounds The lamp is conthe parts 4 and5 and is quickly heated. A nipple 8 extends from the receptacleimmediately above the bottom 4 and receives the end of aflexible tube 9of suitable structure. The other end of the tube is connected to the endof a nipple 10 projecting from the side of a device 1l for washing onesbody, and whlch I have termed a washer.7 A pressure` cut-off devlce 12is placed on the tube and may be of any approved con-` adapted toreceive a handle 16 like the usual,

back washing brushes now in common use. The back 13 fits in and closes an'ietal body having parallel side walls 17l and an arcuate face 18. Ateach side and each end the metal body is extended up and bent over theback and forked to form jaws 19. It will be noted that there are fourjaws and consequently a cloth, as A (Figs. 4 and 5) spread over the faceand sides of the washer may have each corner engaged in a jaw and thussecurely held and likewise easily removed when desired.

The nipple 10 is on the end of a` perforated pipe 20 extendingtransversely within the washer and supplying water thereto. Transverseslots 21 are provided in the face 18 except at the central portion, thewidth of theslots increasing successively from each side of the centralportion. It is ob vious that the slots supplying the water to the cloththel slotsat the greatest distance from the pipe 1nust` be larger inorder to assure an even distribution. The tendency of the water will beto seek the lowest portion of the cloth and as this portion will be at'the center of the face no slots will be re quired at this point.However this is not a limiting feature and various arrangements of slotsand openings-could be made.

In using the apparatus the cut-offv 12 is closed, the receptacle 1 isfilled with water andthe lamp 7 is lighted. A wash-cloth A is spreadover the sides 17 and face 18 of the washer 11 and its-ends engaged inthe jaws 19, After lthe water is heated to tne desired temperature thecut-olf 12 is opened permitting the heated water to pass through thetube 9 tothe pipe 2Q and thence through the slots 21 to the cloth A,'The person bathing may stand in a suitable receptacle (not shown). It isobvious that the cloth A Will be saturated and by applying soap theretoor on ones body the operation of bathing may be eiiciently andconveniently performed. It is obvious that by dipping the Washer in coldWater the temperature of the bathing Water may be cooled if desired andthe supply of hot Water can be controlled by the cut-olf 12. When it isdesired to Wash the back of the body the handle 16 may be used.

lt is pointed out that the entire structure Which has been described isextremely simple and thus makes for sanitary conditions as all parts maybe easily and thoroughly cleanede The Wash-cloth can be removed andreplaced With a fresh one The foregoing description and illustrationclearly express the inventioni but it is to be understood that saidillustration is merely an exemplification and the invention may becarried out in various other ways.

What I claim, is:

l. n a body Washer for bathing apparatuses, a back having an upstanding'handgrip7 a hollow metal body receiving the back and comprising sidesand an arcuate face, the face of the body having openings, and the bodyhaving provision :for admitting Water, and jaws for holding the ends ofa Wash-cloth, said jaws being secured to the body member at spacedpoints and overhanging the back.

2. In a body Washer for bathing apparatuses, a hollow body having anarcuate face provided with Water outlets, a back fittingV the body, Washcloth holding jaws comprising notched projections carried by the bodyand overhanging the back,y and means for supplying Water to the metalbody.1

n testimony Whereoil aiiiX my signature.

ROBERT L. RICHARDS

